However, lip kits – or lip combos – are not a revolutionary idea. I’ve been coming up with mine (quite probably inspired by the others) for years now. Below is my go-to pink.

Products, top to bottom:

Bourjois Levres Contour in Flamboise Exquise

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 11 So Hap’pink

Oriflame The One Colour Unlimited Lip Gloss in Pink Boost 30643

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets are easily one of my most favourite lip products out there. True, there are formulas that are more matte, more pigmented, longer lasting, just more – but there’s something about the Bourjois offering that draws me back to them every time. They are very easy to wear, completely non-drying, and feel very natural on the lips. The finish is matte but not powdery matte that makes every line on your lips stand out. It’s also very easy to apply, and is scentless. Always a big plus in my book.

Although you don’t need a pencil when using Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, I love lining and filling my lips with a pencil first and then filling them out with the colour. I find that it does prolong the wear of the lipstick and makes reapplication that much easier. Although Rouge Edition Velvets do not bleed outside the lines and absolutely do not feather, it’s easier to slip a bit outside the line on the reapplication if you don’t go in with the pencil first. Bourjois Levres Contour in Flamboise Exquise is a nearly perfect match for Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in So Hap’pink. I bought them together, and have been using together ever since.

Oriflame The One Colour Unlimited Lip Gloss in Pink Boost was on my wishlist for a while until I finally bought it. I try to limit the amount of glosses I own at any particular time, because they tend to go bad five times as quickly as lipsticks do. I wear it both on its own, over the pencil, or over slightly worn lipstick when I just can’t be arsed with fixing it properly or I know it’s going to get ruined in the next hour anyway. Applying it over freshly applied lipstick tends to look cakey.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks have been on my radar for a long, long time, and at long last I went and bought one. My first impulse was to buy a red, but then I settled on a rather less dramatic, but still bold and bright, pink shade, titled 11 So Hap’pink. I don’t follow new releases as intently as I probably should (bad, bad beauty blogger), but the saleslady told me it’s from the line of several new colours.

I’ve been wanting to try this for so long that the actual product left me just a tad underwhelmed. The product is very good, though. It’s matte, but not at all drying. It’s reasonably long lasting, although eating and drinking do fade the colour. I don’t have to worry about it staying in place in most other situations, though. It doesn’t feather. The application is easy. It smells sort of like a mascara would, which is also a huge plus for me, as I don’t always agree with artificial ‘pleasant’ fragrances companies use in their products.

Overall I’m very satisfied with this. Although they’re not as long lasting as some reviews would make you believe, Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks are totally worth buying. I plan on purchasing at least one more.

Bourjois Levres Contour Lip Pencil I bought together with the lipstick, as I didn’t know whether the lipstick would feather. It’s always a good idea to line your lips anyway. Bourjois Levres Contour Framboise Exquise 18 turned out to be a perfect match for the Hap’pink shade. It also works good on its own with a bit of a gloss or balm over, but of course it’s better to just leave it for lining and a bit of filling.

These two products are a staple now. I use them in my make-up routine at least twice a week.

Lip Monthly usually ships faster, but living outside their usual zones of delivery coupled with busy winter holiday times meant that I received my November bag only recently, during the last days of December.

As usual, Lip Monthly shipped in a make-up bag. They come up with a new design every month, and I really like this month’s. They became a staple work make-up bag for me, as they’re pretty durable, and don’t get beaten up in my rucksack, where I tend to shove a bag of groceries and some catfood on my way home.

Let’s look at the contents!

First up are Hikari Lipstick in cabernet, NYC Expert Last Lipstick in 443 Purple Crush, and City Color Cosmetics White Gold Shadow & Highlight Mousse.

I’m wearing Hikari as I’m writing this post, and so far I really like it. It’s long lasting (lasted me through a portion of spaghetti, a glass of juice, and two cups of tea, as well as a lot of talking), and while I can’t call it moisturising, it’s not drying either. I’m currently going through a spell of annoying dry lips, and it didn’t make them feel any more uncomfortable than they already are. Also, despite their flakiness, the lipstick applied well, and the colour looked very smooth. The finish is somewhere between matte and satin.

I haven’t tried the NYC lipstick yet, but it looks like it’s got a bit of a frost in it. Not particularly a bad thing, but if it’s eaten easily, it might end up looking a touch too messy during the day. But as I said, I haven’t tried it yet, so no verdicts.

The City Color Cosmetics shadow/ highlighter I found impressive. Once I read that it was a mousse (ergo, a cream) shadow, I literally groaned, because cream shadows don’t last on my eyelids at all. I’ve got several that don’t even manage to stay long enough for me to finish the rest of my makeup. However, this seems considerably more long-lasting. Once you apply it on the lid, you’ve got a short amount of time to blend it how you want it, because after about 30 seconds it doesn’t seem to budge. The colour is gorgeous, but it’s also quite festive, so I don’t think I’ll be using this as an everyday look.

Next up are Ofra Lipliner in Silk and Crown Lip Brush. I haven’t tried the brush yet, but you can never have too many brushes! I’m short on the lip ones, too. The handle is a smooth matte black, and it almost feels like an artist’s brush, rather than a makeup one.

The Ofra lip pencil works great with my VeryMe lip gloss. I line my lips, then fill them in, and after that apply a layer of gloss. They look great together, and are perfect for day wear. I’m also happy that this is a pencil that requires a sharpener. For some reason I’m so nostalgic for them lately. They feel much better than the mechanic ones, and also allow for a more precise application.

You can subscribe to Lip Monthly here. Use the code “HOLIDAY299” to get your first bag for only $2.99 on 4 Month Subscriptions. Lip Monthly ships internationally! I can’t say that their service is perfect, but so far I’ve been pleased with their selections, and eagerly await my next bag. No plans to cancel the subscription.